Sacked MAK Official Scoops Prestigious Fellowship in South Africa

Dr James Ocita, a former Makerere University Don has been selected for a prestigious three-year fellowship at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study- STIAS in South Africa just three months after he was fired from the state owned university.  

Ocita, a literature scholar is among the seven candidates that were offered the Iso Lomso Fellowship which will be running from 2019-2022.  The fellowship provides early career opportunity for Africa’s brightest minds with postdoctoral experiences.

“Iso Lomso” is a South African word translated as “The Eye of Tomorrow.” The competition saw seven fellows get shortlisted out of 23 applicants from the original 99 submissions.

The former Makerere Don enters the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study under the third cohort of Iso Lomso fellows alongside Dr Dalu Tatenda from University of Venda in South Africa, Dr Christine Hobden, from University of Fort Hare in South Africa and Dr Nkatha Kabira from University of Nairobi in Kenya. Others are Dr Elifuraha Laltaika from Tumaini University in Tanzania, Dr Ifeyinwa Okolo from Federal University Lokoja in Nigeria and Dr Eric Otchere from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana.

 Iso Lomso fellows enjoy a three-year attachment to the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study- STIAS during which time they may spend a total of ten months in residence to develop and pursue a long-term research programme. 

Ocita was suspended over alleged willful insubordination and refusal to take lawful orders from the Vice Chancellor as well as using slanderous, abusive or insulting language or behavior against Prof. Mahmoud Mamdani, the Director of Makerere Institute of Social Research (MISR).